Fluid inlet-outlet device, particularly for clinical purposes



' 19460 M. CURTIS 2,409;343

FLUID INLET-OUTLET DEVICE PARTICULARLY FOR CLINICAL PURPOSES Filed April 5, 1943 I?zveni"o r: I wwzvdMUurhs Ray 7 3y I s a/$2556- Patented'oct. 15, i946 I- FLUID INLET-OUTLET DEVICE, PARTICU- LARLY FOR CLINICAL ronroses Raymond M. Curtis, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Macalaster Bicknell Company, "Cambridge,

O F C Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Apnlication April 5, 1943, Serial No. 481,828

My present invention relates tothe preparation and administering of fluids for medical, sure gical, laboratory,hospital and like purposes, and especially in connectionwith the administration 1 Claim; (Cl. 128-214) or tubesfi and 9 are securely interattachedin the described position by a union or connection preferably having a cross-sectional area but lit; tle. exceeding that of the combined members of blood and blood plasma. More particularly it themselves. As here shown the connecting means aims to provide a simple device or unit adapted comprises a sleeve i2 which desirably also is of to serve at times as a fluid inlet for a container stainless steel or other non-corrosive material and at other times as an outlet and relief vent, such as that of the needle members themselves, making it unnecessary to install separate deor said means may consist of a welded or other vices for the difierentfunctio'ns. union of the contacting portions of the needle In the drawing illustrating by way of example tubes. on embodiment of the invention:. The described connecting means preferably in- Fig. 1 is an elevation of the needle-like unit cludes a laterally projecting disk-like flange l3 as a whole; I f integrally or otherwise related and itself serving Fig. 2 shows the same in longitudinal section; as a further union forthe two needle members. Fig. 3 is across-section as on the line 33 of This member 13 acts also" as a finger piece or g. 1, enlarged; guard and at times as a stop, in a manner to be Fig. 4 illustrates one use of the device, as an referred to later. et; Beyond this guard and finger piece l3 the main Fig. 5 correspondingly shows the same needle tubular needle-like members 6 and 9 are rela unit serving as an outlet and vent for the same tively deflected from each other, into a Y-for- Container; mation or the like. One of'the members may be Fig. 6 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1 of a straight or substantially so, the other being bent modified form of compound needle embodying at an angle of 45 or thereabouts, or both mem the invention; 5 bers may be deflected to an extent to give the Fig. '7 is an enlarged section on the line 1-1 desired separation of their end portions "8 and of and Y H. As here illustrated, for example, the shorter Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 7 representmember 9 is straight or substantially so while ing a further embodiment. the longer member 6 has itstube-receiving end Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, the plural-pur- Bbent outwardly. pose unit comprises a first and relatively long Theneedle-like combined inlet and outlet deneedle-like tube or tubular piercing needle memvice of the invention is susceptible of various her 6 having at one end a sharp beveled point uses. By way of example I have in Figs. 4 and 5 l which may be similar to that of a hypodermic Y illustrated it in connection with the technique needle. Its opposite end is equipped with a, nipof r-e-converting dehydrated blood plasma to a ple 8 for attaching a rubber or other flexible tubsolution and administering the same. In these figures, referring first more particu- The unit further includes a second and relalarly to Fig. a, is shown a container C suitablefor tively shorter tube or hollow needle member 9, the storage of dehydrated blood plasma P, usualso having a point In at one end, preferably ally a glass jar. According to one method, the beveled similarly to that of the longer member desiccated plasma P is kept in thecontainer un- 6, and being equipped with a tubing-receiving der anegative pressure (partial vacuum) mainnipple II at its other end. These needle memtained by a sealing closure S. At least a cenbers are formed of a rigid non-corrosive mate- 'tral portion of the-closure as at S is formed of rial, preferably a stainless steel. a puncturable material such as a relatively soft The two needle members are disposed inclose rubber or like composition. When the dried parallelism, with their corresponding ends toplasma is to be administered, it is first restored ward the same end of the device as a whole but .to liquid form as by the addition ofsterile water. with the point Ill of the shorter member 9 set For this purpose my needle unit has its longer back substantially from that of the longer memmember 6 thrust through the pierceable area S her 6. The extent of the latter beyond the of the closure sufliciently to project its pointed pointed end of the shorter needle member may end I below theseal S,'but leaving. the pointed be variously proportioned, depending mainly on end' Iii of. the shorter needle member 9. outside the type and size of container with which the .thecojntainh. An appropriatelength of rubber device is to be used. The two needle members or othefflexible hose or tubing t is affixed to the nippled end 8 of the inserted needle member 6, the tubing being placed in communication with the sterile water supply. The water automatically flows into the container, by reason of the partial vacuum therein. The tubing is clamped oil or removed from the supply when the appropriate quantity of water has been received in the con tainer to place the plasma in solution at the 'desired concentration. The dried plasma content is of such measured quantity that the resulting solution leaves some free space within the container.

The procedure for administering the liquid plasma to a patient is represented in connection with Fig. 5. Following the admission of water as in Fig. 4, the tubing t is removed from the longer needle member 6. The needle unit as a whole is then forced further through the penetrable portion S of the closure, so as to present the pointed end ll! of the shorter and herein straight needle member 9 within the container and below the ciosure 8-5.

The operator readily accomplishes this by engaging with his fingers the finger-piece and guard I3 and thrusting downwardly against it, thus avoiding contact with the tube-receiving portions of either needle member, particularly that of the member 9 which now is to serve as the outlet for the plasma solution. This manipulating flange or finger-piece I3 at the same time serves also as a limiting stop, bringing up flatwise against the outer face of the closure S-S' and so determining the appropriate maximum entry of the needle device into the container.

A length of tubing t has one end installed over the attaching nipple II of the needle member 9, and has at its other end the usual venipuncturing needle for insertion into a vein of the patient, the tubing generally also being equipped with any suitable shut-off or clamp device, not shown, and desirable also with an adequate filter.

With the needle unit thrust fully home into the position substantially as shown in Fig. 5, the tubing 15 with administering needle being attached, the container C is inverted and suspended conveniently adjacent the patient, as by any suitable hanger means R. The initial upper level of the solution or plasma fluid F is indicated by the broken line in Fig. 5 adjacent the bottom wall of the container C, which wall is now uppermost. As previously explained, the fluid content is such as to leave some free space, and the length of the longer needle member 6, beyond the stop element I3, is so proportioned to the size and shape of the container C that the open pointed end of this needle member 6 now projects upwardly into the free space, above the level F. The nipple end 8 outside the container is open to atmosphere, through a sterile air strainer if desired, so that the needle member 6 now functions as a relief vent, relieving any partial vacuum within the container and permitting the fluid plasma content to flow by gravity to the patient.

It will be understood that the needle unit of the invention is equally useful in instances where the dried plasma is not vacuum packed, the water or solution fluid being supplied through tubing t similarly as in Fig. 4, by gravity or under pressure. Whichever needle member is not then used as the inlet is adapted to serve as a relief vent, the unit as a whole being inserted through the closure such as SS far enough to clear the pointed end ID of the shorter member below the closure. Thus under some circumstances either member 6 or 9 may be utilized as the inlet, the other serving as a relief vent. Also, in the vacuum technique as above described in connection with Fig. 4, if the vacuum should fail, the inflow of the solution fluid usually can be continued by inserting the needle unit suificiently further, beyond the position shown in Fig. 4, to enable the shorter needle member 9 to serve as a vent. Other fluids than blood and liquid plasma also may be handled through the medium of the plural-function needle device of the present invention in the general manner as above explained.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7 the plural needle unit as there shown comprises a first and relatively longer needle member I6 which may in general be substantially the same as the member 6 of Figs. 1 to 5, including a piercing point I! at one end and a tubing attaching formation I8 at the other end. In this instance this longer or main needle member I6 is substantially straight throughout and extends at its tube-receiving end I8 beyond the corresponding end of the other and parallel needle member I9.

Noting also Fig. 7, the needle member It has formed along an intermediate portion a groove or longitudinal depression Ilia. The second and relatively shorter needle member, in this case of substantially smaller gauge than the first member I 6, is set into and secured in this groove, as by brazing, welding or otherwise. This second needle or venting member as shown has a pointed or other open end as at 20 and a nippled or otherwise apertured end, preferably offset from the needle member I6, as at 2|. The end 20 of this shorter needle member I6 is so positioned relative to the adjacent end of the groove or slot Ifia of the other member as to provide an opening or vent as at I'db, said end 20 as well as substantially the entire straight or parallel portion of this shorter member I9 being in effect sheathed in, or within the periphery of, the main needle member As in the device of Figs. 1 to 5 the needle unit desirably has fixed on it a lateral flange, stop or guard and finger piece 23, although in some instances this may be dispensed with. Also, under circumstances where the sheathed tubular member or needle I9 is to be employed mainly or only as a venting means its laterally deflected portion or the nippled or like end thereof may be omitted. It will also be understood similarly as in connection with Figs. 1 to 5, that the relative extent of the two members I6 and I9 at their non-piercing ends may be substantially equal or may be reversed or otherwise than as shown, and that either, both or neither may be laterally bent or deflected.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated another structural form which otherwise than as stated may be the same as in Figs. 6 and '7. In this instance, however, the smaller and generally shorter member 29 is wholly surrounded by the tubular wall of the main needle member 26, the latter being laterally apertured at the appropriate spaced points for communication therethrough with the opposite ends of the member 29. Said contained member 29 is fixed in position in any convenient manner as by interengagement of either or both ends with the adjacent aperturing formation of the needle member 26, or by brazing. welding or otherwise interattaching the two members.

It will be seen that in the embodiments as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 by way of example the needle unit as a whole has in effect a common piercing point I! and that the shorter members l9 and 29 are wholly or substantially within the outer circumferential compass of the needle member I6 which carries such piercing point. Thus the units of Figs. 6 and 7 and of Fig. 8 are adapted for use with containers and the like wherein the puncturable or inserting area of the closure or needle-receiving formation is relatively limited. For convenience in identification the parallel tubular or needle-like members, both with respect to Figs. 1 to 5 and the other figures, may be referred. to as having inner ends, as 1, lil, l1 and 20 and outer ends, as 8, ll, l3 and 2!.

It also will be understood that the accompanying drawing is not to scale and that for the sake of clearness in illustration various dimensions, particularly wall thicknesses and internal diameters are exaggerated. Merely by way of example, the stainless steel or other needle members such as 6 and 9 of Figs. 1 to 5 and [B or 26 of Figs. 6 to 8 may be of approximately 12 gauge, while the partly or wholly enclosed members such as l9 and 29 of the latter figures may have a gauge of about 15 or smaller.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereof as herein illustrated and described, its scope being pointed out in the following claim.

I claim:

A dual clinical needle of non-corrosive metal such as stainless steel, for piercing self-sealing insertion through a puncturable closure of a container, said needle comprising a pair of generally parallel tubes of unequal length having their channels closely contiguous and each of uniform diameter throughout, said tubes constructed and arranged for use interchangeably one as a vent and the other as an inlet or as an outlet respectively to admit fluid to an upright closed container or to withdraw fluid from such container in an inverted position, particularly in the transfer of blood and blood plasma, said tubes being open at both ends, tubing attaching formations at one end of each tube, said ends being disposed at a divergent angle to each other and terminating at adjacent transverse planes at the outer end of the needle as a whole, the opposite or inserting end of the longer tube having a bevelled and sharpened open point for piercing insertion of the needle in sealing relation through puncturable closure element of a container and the proximate inserting end of the shorter tube being shaped and disposed for entry through the closure element following penetration thereof by the longer tube and being set back from the pointed end of said longer tube to an extent permitting the shorter tube to be positioned wholly outside a container While the longer tube has its pointed end projected into such container through and substantially beyond the closure element thereof for sealed inflow of fluid to the container, means interattaching the tubes along their contiguous portions from the inserting end of the shorter to their point of divergence adjacent their tubing attaching ends, and a laterally projecting disklike flange surrounding and secured to an interattached portion of the tubes spaced closer to said point of divergence than to the inserting end of the shorter tube, both tubes being of such relatively small cross-sectional diameter and having their axes so contiguously disposed along their interattached portions that their interaxial dis tance is less or notappreciably greater than onehalf their combined outer diameters, the longer tube having an external longitudinal seating recess corresponding in length to that of the shorter tube and the latter being in substantial part received and secured in said recess, and whereby their interattached portions are adapted for penetrative passage as a unit through the puncturable container closure element.

RAYMOND M. CURTIS. 

